For The Weekend: Junior Senior

Just in case you didn’t grab the new Kanye West / 50 Cent albums that leaked today, here’s something that’s sure to get the kids moving for the weekend. Actually, it’s been proven to do the job for two years or so now since that’s how long Junior Senior’s Hey Hey My My Yo Yo has been released everywhere except for the U.S. (that is until it hit the shelves earlier this month). As goldenfiddle suggests, if you’ve ever even considered buying a Justin Timberlake album in your life, you should probably buy this instead. It’s just as party-ready and won’t leave you trying to explain yourself to anyone that still remembers that one band he was in.

What’s not to love about Junior Senior? It’s the most happy, jumpy, complete lack of unaccessibility, impossible-to-dislike style dance music you could ever imagine. I put “Can You Get Get Get” on at a party a few nights ago, and although I doubt anyone there knew the Danish duo by name, there was more than just a few boys and girls who got themselves moving very quickly, which includes the hippies in the corner and the bros playing cards. So grab this album before that house party that you’re hosting, and prepare for a really good time.

MP3 Can I Get Get Get
MP3 We’R The Handclaps

Get Get Hey Hey Yo Yo My My

Damien Jurado

I first heard of Damien Jurado when Okkervil River announced their tour earlier this year and picked the Seattle-based folk artist to open their shows. Seeing that the tour is coming right through Central Illinois during the Pygmalion Music Festival, I decided it was time to give the Secretly Canadien-signed artist a listen, and although it took me a little while to warm up to the guy, I’m glad I did.

While it’s hard to sum up a career that includes seven full lengths releases as well as a number of EPs and singles in a single paragraph, from a new listener’s perspective I can appreciate the artist’s precise attention to detail in crafting his songs. The sparseness of much of his music means that every note hit carries extra significance, where every piano chord or swell of strings within a track like “I Had No Intentions” is meaningful. This minimal approach also gives you more of chance to digest the words that Jurado sings, which are often heartbreaking. While this music is not for those looking for instant satisfaction, it is ultimately a very rewarding listen and one that will stick with you.

MP3 Denton, Tx.
MP3 I Had No Intentions
MP3 A Jealous Heart is a Heavy Heart

Myspace
Buy Damien Jurado Records

Take Cover!

No, it’s not an earthquake, so get out from under that table. I just have a bunch of awesome covers that I’m going to disperse among you. I decided it’s been a while since I posted any covers (the last time I did a “take cover!”, Arrested Development was still on the air) and I have a few good ones I’ve been holding onto for too long.

MP3 Ben Kweller – Today (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)
Ben Kweller picked the perfect Smashing Pumpkins to cover, it totally matches his style. The piano that echoes the riff at the beginning is a lovely addition.

MP3 Girls in Hawaii – Blizzard of ’77 (Nada Surf Cover)
This acoustic cover of one of my favorite Nada Surf songs benefits from the boy/girl harmony on the vocals. The band doing the cover is actually from the very untropical locale, Belgium.

MP3 Queens of the Stone Age – Christian Brother (Elliott Smith Cover)
Seems like an odd pairing but the Queens do a great job of covering this early Elliott Smith track. It’s amazing how much Josh Homme’s voice sounds like Smith.

MP3 Arctic Monkeys – You Know I’m No Good (Amy Winehouse Cover)
What better way to encourage Amy to stop her drug addiction as her in-laws would like, than to stop buying her records and downloading covers of her songs instead.

MP3 Feist – Nothing In The World Can Stop Me Worrying About That Girl (Kinks Cover)
Not only does Feist earn points for covering a Kinks song, but it’s a Kinks song that is in my favorite film (Rushmore) and she does it with style and grace (even though she modestly claims to have screwed it up). That has to rank about an M8 on the Richter Scale of Awesomeness.

13 months on Beartrap Island…

I was really surprised when I got Division Day‘s album, Beartrap Island, in the mail this week packaged with a bunch of new releases. The album was released to much blog-acclaim in early 2006, and I even featured a couple tracks from the album back in February of that year on this very blog. After doing a little bit of research though, I found that the album is getting the re-release treatment this October on a new label (Eenie Meenie Records) complete with remastering and a couple new tracks.

Listening to the album in full made me remember what sparked my interest in Division Day in the first place. The sound of Beartrap Island is lush and simmering, dreamy almost, but the songs come at you with a much more urgent pace then a typical indie pop record. The best songs on the album, “Tigers”, “Lights Out”, “Tap-Tap, Click-Click”, are all a complete rush. In addition to the jolting guitar and dramatic keyboard of the album, the lyrics are smart and interesting (the opening line to Tigers, “I want your blood inside my head”, stuck with me). Hopefully with this new release many more ears will hear and fall in love with this on-the-rise LA band.

MP3 Division Day – Tigers
MP3 Division Day – Lights Out
MP3 Division Day – Tap-Tap, Click-Click

Myspace
Official Site

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There’s a quite a few more bands that have jumped on the Windmill bandwagon since I last checked. If you remember I totally freaked out about the album Puddle City Racing Lights earlier this year, and it’s still on constant rotation for me. Here’s a few more reviews that can further back up my claims that it’s one of the best albums of the year:

The Pelican’s Perch
indiecristoph
Music Like Dirt (live review)
linesthroughlines
Nothing But Green Lights

If you’re a newcomer to the band, here’s a couple tracks for you to listen to:

MP3 Windmill – Tokyo Moon
MP3 Windmill – Plastic Pre-Flight Seats

You're Supposed To Be My Friend

1990s (no The and no apostrophe) are the natural successor to fellow Glasglow natives and former bandmates Franz Ferdinand. Their first single, “You’re Supposed To Be My Friend”, immediately shoots you with overdriven guitars, heavy accented vocals, and cheeky throwaway lyrics (I think I’ll take the dog for a walk / maybe I’ll meet up with some friends / maybe I’ll meet up with some dogs!). It’s also got the crazy tempo shifts that Franz fans will recognize as well and an extremely buzzy guitar solo at the end.

“See You At The Lights” is the band’s American debut single, and in the song the band again proves the rule that you have to yell a short exclamatory word during a monster opening riff (“Yeah!” “Whoo!” “Alright!”, they all work) The melodies and harmonies on this song recall some other U.K. bands that everyone likes to talk about, which perhaps shows the back-to-basics attitude that the band takes to rock and roll (their motto – “we play rock and roll like a blonde gets out of a car”). Put this on your iPod on your way to classes this week. Trust me, it’ll make all that syllabus-reading much more fun.

MP3 You’re Supposed to Be My Friend
MP3 See You At The Lights

***

Last night, I got a hold of two of my highest anticipated albums for the remainder of the year, The Flying Club Cup and Help Wanted Nights. I’ll be doing a lot of music-listening for the next couple of days. Also, anyone catch the Frisky Dingo premiere last night? Killface for President!

Interview with Murray Hewitt (band manager for Flight of the Conchords)

Billed as the “fourth most popular folk parody duo in New Zealand”, Flight of the Conchords has become a new obsession of mine. The band recently moved to New York to try to infiltrate the American music scene with little or no success, but I’m sure more people will come around to Bret and Jemaine’s musical and comedic brilliance.

The band was unavailable for interview, but I was able to talk to their manager, Murray Hewitt, and he had some very interesting things to say. Read below and download a couple FOTC tracks at the end.

What type of items do you discuss at band meetings?

First and foremost it’s about attendance. Who’s here and who isn’t. Then we get onto gripping subjects like haircuts and uniforms. I try to stay clear of any talk of upcoming gigs when ever possible. But on the odd occasion gigs do come in… But mostly it’s about our look and our fanbase and the fact that we’re still alive in New York.

What has been the most exciting tour experience for you thus far?

The warm up tour for the Central Park gig in Newark. That was one hell of a rock n roll ride. Thanks to Jemaine and his rock antics. Man that guy is out of control. My car ended up in the pool. Leather suits… smashed speakers and a TV out the window. Let’s just say Jemaine is banned from going anywhere near mixed nuts from now on!

What interested you in becoming a band manager?

I always had an interest in managing. I’d managed a rugby team back in New Zealand. When the boys came into my office that first time moaning about the loss of their passports i could see they had the A factor. I really knew they would be big stars. I could tell they were into music because they were carrying guitar cases. They looked lost and needed direction. I was the obvious choice. Now it’s my destiny.

As well as being a band manager, you work at the New Zealand consulate. What do you do there?

I pass the time quite well as i’m waiting for band meetings. I write in my leather bound band folder the schedule for up coming meetings. I deal with passport issues on a daily basis but i send most of my work through to Greg as he seems to know what he’s doing. I do hold a lot of power though. One of my main jobs is to have final approval on all tourism poster slogans. I’ve even come up with a few of them myself. ‘New Zealand Rocks’ is one of mine.

How do you manage the fan base for an international act like Flight of the Conchords?

That’s easy. We only have one fan. Her name is Mel. She is in constant contact with me. We even have meetings now and again so i can update her on the full conchords goings on.

What are some of your hobbies?

My hobbies include walking my dog Toby. I go on interesting walks, sometimes with the guys but usually on my own and i take notes and do sketches of interesting things like buildings, band rotundas and bridges. I also like to have a bet on the horse races and i enjoy sailing. I don’t do this often though as i don’t have a boat.

Being from New Zealand, how have you adapted to the New York culture?

I find i fit in very well. I walk the walk and talk the talk so to speak. But despite this i still get a lot of ridicule. I think that must be a cool New York thing to do though. I think i might be in the cool set.

I’ve been told that you have strict rules about band members having girlfriends. Why is that?

Its just not good for the fan base. If the fans know the band members have girlfriends then they will know they are not available. If the guys in the band are not available then the girls will seek men who are. You see being in a band isn’t so much about the music. It’s more about the look and the availability for sex. That’s what band groupies want. Lots of sex. Ofcourse they’ll never get it. But its that thought that it could happen. Threesomes, twosomes and even onesomes. The whole works.

I heard that you also invest in real estate. How’s that going for you?

Murray Hewitt Productions and Flight of the Conchords are the proud owners of three Stars purchased from Intergallactic real estate. My star is called Murrayland. Bret’s is called Planet Bret and Jemaines was called Planet Jemaine. I say was, because unfortunately his planet supernova’d 4 million years ago. I’ve already told Jemaine that he should live on Planet Bret anyway when we all move up to our planets in ten years time. Having both Bret and Jemaine on the same planet is more sensible anyway. It will make it much better for their rehearsing. I will probably remaine on Murrayland as i’ll be pretty heavily involved in Planet meetings organising how my land ought to be utalised.

What’s the biggest challenge in working with Flight of The Conchords?

Getting them a paid gig. closely followed by putting up with Brets wayward comments and one or another of us always trying to quit the band.

MP3 Flight of The Conchords – Humans Are Dead (Live)
MP3 Flight of The Conchords – Business Time

On the web:

What the Folk! Fan Site
4th best fan page
FotC :: Completely UNofficial fan site

Thanks to Rhys Darby for doing this interview with me!

Zookeeper

After being away from the music scene for almost 5 years, Chris Simpson, the man behind Mineral and The Gloria Record, has returned. Simpson has chosen Zookeeper as the moniker for his solo project (his own name was already being used by a Christian R&B guy) and he’s already released one EP under the name. For those used to the post-punk emo sound of Mineral or the dream pop/shoegaze Gloria Record, Zookeeper is a complete departure for Chris Simpson, but the passion for making music and songwriting bravado is still there.

As the press release that I received from the band states, the sound is much more like Van Morrison than Radiohead. It’s a very loose flowing, relaxed, and jangly mix with instruments like harmonica, trumpet, and organ filling out the songs. It might remind you of some of the sessions between Bob Dylan and the band (theres a visual shout-out to Dylan in their band photo). The opening song of the EP, “I Live In The Mess You Are” gives a pretty good idea of what you’re in for with this band. It’s a sunny piano-led jam, with melodic hooks all over the place and instruments that carefreely jump in and out of the song. Download that and another EP track below. Order the Zookeeper EP here.

MP3 I Live In The Mess You Are
MP3 Tax Collector

The band has a new album coming out November 6th of this year called Becoming All Things. From the first track they released, it looks like it’ll be a winner. Listen to it below:

MP3 Snow In Berlin

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Another artist from the same time period/scene, Jeremy Enigk (who just had his solo comeback album last year) released a follow-up yesterday called The Missing Link with some acoustic versions of World Waits songs and a few new tracks. This one’s called “Oh, John” and it’s gorgeous acoustic stringed ballad. This song further proves that Jeremy Enigk has what might be the most uniquely wonderful voice in Indie Rock.

MP3 Oh, John

Visit Enigk’s myspace

I’ll make you mine if you would have me…

I had an incredible night last night. I went to a concert for Sleeping At Last, one of my favorite bands, and during the song which Celeste and I claim as “our song”, I proposed to her! And she said yes! The song which played during our moment of our engagement is one that I’ve posted about a few times on here, calling it “the most honest and heartfelt love song of the year” on my end-of-the-year list last year. It’s called “Umbrellas” and the wonderful lyrics (especially the part starting with “with this silver ring”) matched with the swell of piano and strings during the climax in the song made for a perfect time to “pop the question.”

Before the song played, I had the band dedicate the track to us and at the climax (right at 3:16), I whispered in Celeste’s ear “Will you marry me” and showed her the ring. As you can probably imagine, it was an amazing moment. You can download the track below and I’ve also written the lyrics out so you can get the full effect. Today is my first day of school and of my new job, but I’ll be back soon with some great music and mixes for you guys. Here’s to love!

MP3 Sleeping At Last – Umbrellas

“I’ll make you mine if you would have me.
With a silver ring that will hug you tight,
Our life begins.
Our life begins with this.

I’ll prove my love if you would let me.
Over and over and over again.

We’ll bring a child into this world
And we’ll say the one thing
Everyone should hear:

You were meant for amazing things.

Give me your hand, it’s time.
It’s time to show new eyes their home.
When fences divide our land,
I would catch bullets with my bare hands.

Because you were meant for amazing things “

Interview with Ian from Dear and the Headlights

Dear and the Headlights are perhaps my favorite new band from this year and their brilliant debut album, Small Steps, Heavy Hooves is still a constant listen for me. So as you can imagine I was very excited at the chance to chat with the lead singer and creative force behind the band, Ian Metzger. We discussed how they found the band found their drummer on Craigslist, singing in made-up languages, picking a band name, and meeting Jeff Tweedy. Click here to view the whole interview and make sure to grab the MP3’s at the bottom.

What’s in heavy rotation on your iPod right now?

Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Neil Young are on constant heavy rotation, but out of newer bands I’ve been listening to a lot of The Great Lake Swimmers, and this other band called Danielson, and Dr. Dog.

What’s the story behind the name “Dear and the Headlights”?

It’s just a really bad play on words, that’s all. (laughing)

So were you just brainstorming…

No I don’t think there was really much brainstorming involved, it was just like “hey what about this” as a joke and everyone’s like “yea sure” and I’m like “wait, no… are you sure?”, “yea why not”, “oh, ok…”.

I’ve sent the band to a few friends and the first thing that some people have said is that they love the name Dear and the Headlights.

It’s funny we get such mixed reactions. I think as a name in some ways it works very well just because of the saying itself, when you spell it the correct way people already think they’ve heard of the band just because everyone’s so familiar with the saying itself. It’s definitely easy to remember, you know. And then other people are like “that’s the worst name we’ve ever heard”. But at the same time it’s not like Radiohead is a really great band name.

You can’t really get any worse than Arctic Monkeys.

Yea once you write decent songs, if your music’s good then people kindof forget the badness or really pick it apart too much.

I read you found your drummer on Craigslist. How’d that happen?

The whole thing had been ridiculous and we had tried out like 13 different people over the course of two years and failed miserably with every one of them. So kindof as a last resort thing are guitar player Joel was like “well, I don’t know, just as a joke let’s put an ad out on craigslist” and within a day Mark responded. It was kindof funny, this was the first time Joel ever used Craigslist and it was the first time Mark ever used it and he was looking for drummer ads at the exact same time Joel posted it. I don’t know how conventional of way that is to find a drummer but it worked out for us.

How has your music progressed from when you started making demos to right now?

I think it’s just gotten more mature to be honest, I mean this whole thing before recording took about five years and some of those songs are a lot older than others. It’s just progressed as we’ve all become better musicians. I think I’ve become better at writing lyrics then I was.

What were the first songs that you recorded that made it to the CD?

A few of the older songs on the CD sound a bit old and dated to me. The oldest songs on the CD are Run In The Front, Sweet Talk, and Paper Bag. Paper Bag doesn’t sound as dated to me as the two others though.

What’s the most interesting tour experience so far for you?

I think playing Lollapalooza was absolutely the most crazy experience. It was kind weird, we’re such a small band, you know, it’s kindof crazy to be associated with and having all the same priviledges as all these other gigantic acts even ones that we’ve looked up to like My Morning Jacket and Modest Mouse. I got to meet Jeff Tweedy from Wilco.

Wow, I didn’t know that he was there.

Yeah, he didn’t play but he was there. I totally like geeked out big time when I saw him, I just did the lame thing like (in Wayne’s World voice) “Hey, you’re Jeff Tweedy” and he’s like “Yeah, I’m Jeff Tweedy” and I was like damn it, did I just say that?

New Rogue Wave, Jens Lekman, and a Facebook Group.

Rogue Wave‘s new album will drop in about a month but the band has released a couple new tracks to the blogs. I’m a big fan of the Vultures and Shadow, and from this taste of Heaven’s Gate my first impression is a very positive one. “Lake Michigan” is like a denser, layered version of some of the quirky pop songs from the band’s first disc (“Postage Stamp World” is a favorite of mine). Another track, “Chicago X 12” featuring Matthew Cawas from former tourmates Nada Surf, could very well be my favorite Rogue Wave song yet. The track is as overwhelmingly beautiful as anything you’ll probably hear this year, a chiming, soaring pop anthem that sounds like something U2 could have written in their prime.

MP3 Rogue Wave – Lake Michigan
MP3 Rogue Wave – Chicago X 12

I posted a new Jens Lekman track (well really an old one, from this 2005 EP) recently called “Opposite of Hallelujah”. I had to take it down pretty immediately and since then I’ve gotten a hold of the whole album, but the track still remains a favorite (Also loving “Your Arms Around Me” and “Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Di”). I got the go-ahead to repost the track so here it is:

MP3 Jens Lekman – Opposite of Hallelujah

Well, the pressure finally got to me and I decided to start a Facebook Group. If you’re a facebook user and want to add one more group to your ever-growing list and you already have one called “If this group reaches 500,000,000 members then I will marry a goat” then you might as well add the Music For Kids Who Can’t Read Good facebook group!

Also, if you haven’t already added me as a friend on Facebook click here to do that also. Leave me a comment if you feel so inclined!